This invention relates to a method for treating vesicular lesions. More particularly, this invention relates to a method of treating vesicular lesions comprising the topical administration to the lesion site of a person suffering from said lesions of an amount of folic acid effective for treating said lesions.
Vesicular lesions are generally characterized as acute errosive blister formations on the outer layer of skin and mucous membranes. Various vesicular lesions may be differentially diagnosed as herpes simplex type I (fever blisters), herpes simplex type II (a venereal form of herpes), herpes zoster (shingles), and aphthous ulcers (canker sores).
Herpes simplex, both type I and type II, is a recurrent acute viral infection exhibiting small grouped vesicles on an erythematous base. Such vesicles appear especially around the vermilion border of the lips and genitalia. Not uncommonly, outbreaks of herpes will involve regional lymphatic inflamation and tenderness. The principle symptoms complained of are burning and stinging localized at the site of the lesions. Clinical outbreaks, which may be recurrent in the same location for years, are exacerbated by fever, sunburn, wind burn, fatigue, stress, nervous tension, or mensturation.
Herpes zoster is an acute inflammatory viral disease exhibiting vesicular eruptions distributed unilaterally along the neural pathways of the trunk and face. Severe neurologic pain usually precedes the eruption of the vesicles by several days and may persist and actually increase in intensity after the lesions have disappeared.
Aphthous ulcers are shallow white mucosal ulcers having fairly even borders surrounded by erythema. Unlike the herpetic lesions which are a consequence of a viral infection, it has never been adequately demonstrated that the aphthous ulcers are due to a virus or any other specific chemical, physical or microbial agent.
Left to the natural course of healing, the various vesicular lesion diseases usually clear up from one to three weeks. During this period, a patient afflicted with such lesions, endures considerable pain, throbbing, burning sensation and pruritis localized about the lesion site. In many instances, irritation and persistance of the lesion may result in secondary bacterial infections which ultimately may lead to systemic complications and residual scarring.
Treatment for vesicular lesions has often been palliative rather than curative. For example, local anesthetics such as xylocaine or lidocaine may be applied to the lesion site to relieve the pain associated with the vesicular eruptions. However, such anesthetic treatment does not accelerate recovery of the lesion eruptions. One of the most widely recognized treatments for vesicular lesions is cauterization of the lesion site with silver nitrate. Silver nitrate, a very caustic agent, is applied locally to the lesion site to effect necrosis and eventual sloughing of the damaged lesion tissue. Unfortunately, such treatment in of itself is very painful and often results in residual scarring.
Other treatments for the virally induced lesions include antiviral agents such as Idoxuridine dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide or even diethyl ether engine starting fluid. The solvents, dimethylsulfoxide and diethyl ether, serve basically as anesthetic and drying agents to effect immediate relief of pain. Such treatments involving the use of these anesthetic solvents pose certain toxic side effects and have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
In many instances, topical or systemic antibiotics are also prescribed as a measure to prevent secondary infections associated with the primary lesion outbreak. Antibiotics, however, are ineffective in limiting the course of the primary lesion duration. Other more exotic recommendations for treatment of herpetic vesicular lesions include periodic inoculation with small pox virus and chemotherapy with antineoplastic agents.
Despite the continued efforts of the medical profession to develop a treatment for accelerating the healing of vesicular lesions and alleviating the associated pain, the treatments offered heretofore have not provided an effective remedy which satisfies both objectives. Accordingly, there is a need for a simple, inexpensive, and effective treatment for vesicular lesions which both relieves localized pain and speeds tissue recovery.